Controlling and directing a sail boat in changing wind conditions may be difficult. With high winds (15-20 knots, gusting 25-30 knots) sailing can be fraught with danger and hazards to the sailor of a tall masted vessel, and can overwhelm the strength and stamina of the strongest of sailors. Sailors have been dealing with these changing wind conditions for many years. Sailing naval architecture has reflected the efforts in dealing with changing wind conditions for many centuries.
Sailboats typically have a tall mast (at least as tall as 1.25 times the length of the vessel and some up to 1.5 times the length), which makes the vessel generally top heavy with sail square footage and have a tendency to tip from side to side opposite from which direction the wind is blowing. The height of the masts and the wind force exerted on the sails attached or rigged to the mast have a rolling or heeling moment of force exerted on the hull of the vessel though the mast that transfers the force to the hull that moves the vessel through the water. The mast also acts as a lever against the lateral or level stability of the vessel, causing it to roll from one side to another opposite the directional force of the wind. The taller the mast, the greater the potential leverage force the mast will exert against the lateral or level stability of the vessel floating on the surface of the water it is traveling over.
This increased or decreased tendency to roll or heel the vessel is called heeling moment. Shortening the mast will lessen the heeling moment of the mast on the vessel, but will also have an adverse effect by reducing the amount of possible sail area to produce speed through the water for the vessel.
The mast is designed to hoist the sails aloft to give the vessel a force or drive to push or pull the vessel through the water. The push or pull force may depend on how the sails are set or rigged on the mast(s). The tall mast may be needed for greater sail area for greater speed of the vessel. This may make it more likely the vessel will capsize, increase the heeling moment, and make it more likely the vessel may front end capsize or “submarine” capsize.
Furthermore, tacking upwind may be difficult and time consuming due to increased wind forces exerted on the taller and larger sail area aloft. These increased wind forces demand more power to handle the sails whether tacking or hauling in the sheet lines for proper sail trim on all points of sail. What is needed is an advanced sailing vessel to allow the operator or skipper to more controllably and safely operate a sailboat in rapidly changing wind conditions.